Suncorp's NZ business boosts earnings on reduced claims

Suncorp Group, the ASX-listed general and life insurer whose local brands include Vero, AA Insurance and Asteron Life, lifted annual earnings from its New Zealand businesses as the company benefited from fewer claims in the year.

The insurer's New Zealand business delivered a net profit of $A175 million in the 12 months ended June 30, compared with $A110 million a year earlier, the Brisbane-based company said in a statement. Of that, the insurer's general business lifted trading profit to $159 million from $97 million a year earlier, on a 2.9% increase in gross written premiums. Underpinning the improved profitability was a reduction in severe weather claims and a reduced impact from earthquake reserve strengthening, Vero NZ chief executive Gary Dransfield told BusinessDesk.

"The top-line growth in kiwi dollars, at 2.9%, was reasonably flat compared to recent years, and it's much more a lower claims story," Mr Dransfield said. "I'm hoping for a continuation of the relatively benign weather compared to the preceding three years or so, because that's good for our shareholders and good for our customers."

The New Zealand general insurance segment's performance was in line with the wider Suncorp group, which reported a 55% increase in annual profit to $A1.13 billion on a 2.1% gain in revenue to $A16.72 billion. The Australian firm's board declared a final dividend of 38Ac per share, taking ordinary dividends to 76c for the year, and announced a special dividend of 12 cents a share.

New Zealand gross written premiums rose 9.9 percent in local dollar terms across Suncorp's motor business on record car sales and increased premiums, while home insurance revenues grew 7.9 percent. Suncorp's commercial insurance premiums fell 2.8 percent as an increasingly competitive environment led to heightened discounting for renewals and new business.

Dransfield said he didn't expect to see more consolidation among underwriters after Insurance Australia Group bought the New Zealand Lumley business.

"Now you're probably seeing competitors seeing an opportunity to start up and try to build positions in niches," he said. "It's hard to see more consolidation in the underwriters, but in the brokers certainly."

Suncorp's New Zealand business is about a year into a three-year simplification programme, where it's looking to create greater customer engagement with online tools.

Next month, the New Zealand general insurer expects to roll out new digital functionality for sales, services and claims.

Dransfield said the insurer is about 90 percent through its post-earthquake commercial claims in Christchurch, though residential claims are lagging behind, in the high-70 percent area, where more complex insurance arrangements, such as multi-unit dwellings, have slowed the process.

Suncorp's ASX-listed rose 0.7 percent to A$14.43 today, and have declined 6.5 percent this year.

(BusinessDesk)